Meet The Bar Method Gold Coast Owner Emily Youkers!

Strangely, I’m more dedicated to my workout in the winter than I am in the warmer months! Something about the cold makes my body crave movement so I find that I take more classes each week when its cold. Winter can seem like it won’t end and I know working out will be the one thing I can consistently rely on to feel better. Once the weather starts to warm, I want to be outside and it takes more discipline on my part to schedule time for my fitness routine. My workout time is so critical for me year round, not just physically but for my mental and emotional health. I’ve come to rely on physical activity as stress relief and a way to remove the “weight” from my shoulders on challenging days. The warm weather does get me outside more though. I’m more likely to walk than take mass transit and I’m more likely to participate in outdoor fitness activities and even try new things. I want to get out on the water more this summer and try rowing for the first time.

One of my favorite aspects of The Bar Method is it never gets boring so its very hard to plateau. No two classes are ever the same because each instructor has their own choreography, musical style and we’re constantly innovating with new exercises. When I feel the need to shake things up a bit, I rely on some simple changes to trick my mind and body out of its comfort zone. I’ll work out at a different time of day, with a new instructor and even choose a different location in the studio to give myself a different perspective on my form. Taking another instructor’s class gives me ideas on creative ways to combine exercises and then I’m a better instructor as a result. The Bar Method community of instructors is like your own team of personal trainers. We hold each other accountable to the quality of our “Method” so we can teach the safest and most effective classes to our clients.

Hiking! I don’t do it as much as I used to after to moving to Chicago from Arizona but I miss it. Whenever I’m home, my friends and family know one of the first things I want to do is schedule a hike in one of the various mountain ranges. It clears and stimulates my mind at the same time. The beauty of nature, the drive to keep going even when I’m getting tired and solitude are so therapeutic.